London 31 Bargain Hunt

Today we're at The People's Palace, good old Ally Pally,

and it's crammed full of antiques and collectibles

so let's go bargain hunting!

Coming up...

Panic at the fair.

It was down here, it was down here!

And breath-holding in the saleroom.

That is all to come. But first let me tell you that on Bargain Hunt today it's double-up day.

Instead of giving out £300 to our teams we're going to give them £600.

And the usual hour to find their three items.

And of course the team that makes the most profit later at auction wins.

Right now though, let's meet today's teams.

Hello, and welcome to Bargain Hunt.

Today we've got two teams -

one team of friends, and a team of sisters.

For the Reds, we've got friends Renee and "Jenee". Actually, Jenny.

And for the Blues, we've got Freya and Tamara.

-Hi, guys.

-Hi.

-Hi.

Hi...

-Bonjour.

-Bonjour.

-Enchantee.

-Enchante!

We have a foreign contingent here.

Exactly.

Renee, how long have you and Jenny been friends?

Er, about 40 years.

Where did you meet?

We had a mutual friend who was living near me,

and who moved afterwards to live in Putney

and met Jenny because their daughters were at school together.

Ah, how lovely. I can't tell you

how much I love your accent too, I've never heard "Putney"

so beautifully said as "Put-nee".

"Put-nee".

-What part of France are you from?

-I am from the Alps, Grenoble,

but I have lived a long time near the lake of Geneva.

-Have you?

-Yes. And it was beautiful.

-And what dragged to our ugly shores?

Er...my husband.

Oh, did he? Where did you meet him?

I met him in Grenoble.

He was studying, and I was nursing,

-and we just met and er...

-Caramba.

-Yes.

-Yes, the rest is history.

-The rest is history.

-What about you, Jenny? Are you retired?

-Thankfully.

-What did you use to do?

-I was an estate agent. Everybody likes to hate us.

I don't know why, really,

-it's a funny thing, isn't it?

-No, neither do I.

But you know a lot about the psychology of house buying, don't you?

Yes, you learn to read people...

and it's quite a knack that you can actually feel when

someone is really interested in a property

and that they're going to proceed with it and...they do. It's just nice.

Sounds pretty good to me. So how do you think you're going to get on today?

-We're going to win.

-What, just like that?

-Just like that.

-Win a lot of money.

These girls don't look very scared by that, I have to say.

-No, we ARE scared.

-Oh, you are scared.

You don't look scared!

So, what are your winning techniques then, Jenny?

Are you going to buy quality?

Yes, we hope to buy quality.

-Well, you've got enough money to do it, haven't you?

-We certainly have.

-Well, I hope you have a wonderful time.

-Thank you very much.

Now we move over to the sisters.

So, girls...what do you think about that fighting talk? Are you scared?

-Yes.

-Are you really?

Yeah, you've put two pros against two clowns.

Would you say that this is age and experience

-and this is youth and enthusiasm?

-We're hoping a bit of luck as well.

Now, Freya, what do you do for a living?

I work in a small theatre that specialises in experimental and devised theatre.

-Do you?

-Yeah.

-And did you study that at university or something?

Er, I did an MA in visual media for performance...

-Well, you're going to love it today.

-Yeah!

This is a girl that knows all about all this stuff.

And how much television have you done, please?

-Er...not very much.

-Not very much.

-No.

But you do perform?

Yeah. I'm writing a show with my brother at the moment

which we're going to be performing at Edinburgh,

called Death by Gameshow!

You dare wear your Bargain Hunt shirt in Death by Gameshow...!

-Anyway, this is not a gameshow. This is a professional affair!

-Yeah.

-Well, that sounds fun. Are you doing that at the Fringe then?

-Yeah.

OK, great. Great, lovely.

Now, Tamara, what do you do, darling?

-I'm a medical student at the moment.

-Are you?

-Yes.

But you're also a tremendously high climber?

Well erm...on my medical elective I climbed Mount Kilimanjaro with a few friends.

-Did you?

-Yeah.

How long does that take?

Erm...well, we did it in seven days. We took an extra day so that we could acclimatise.

But you can do it in five days.

-And did you get all the way?

-Yes, yes.

Did you? Well done. How long does it take you to get down?

About 20 minutes(?)

No, no, we had to stay. It takes a day and a half to get down.

-Does it?

-Yeah.

Now - the £600 moment.

Ooh la la, look at that. Great wodger of cash.

You know the rules - your experts await, and off you go and very, very, very good luck!

Ooh... Ooh la la!

Both teams have some hired help.

Steering the Reds in the right direction is Mark Stacey.

Listen, what's our strategy, do you think, to do?

-We've got 600 quid.

-We've got an awful lot of money.

-Oh, the lamp.

-Lalique...

-Oh, Lalique-style possibly, isn't it?

-Yes.

You're a lady of expensive taste.

And helping the Blues to part with all that cash is Charles Hanson.

-It's double-up day, isn't it? We've got £600.

-Yeah.

-And I say, let's be adventurous, let's speculate...

-Let's go crazy.

-..because we want to finish with lots of money for you, OK?

-Yeah.

-OK.

Right, they're off. What treasures will they find?

-Charles?

-Yes?

-What do you think of the phone?

-I like it.

-Does it matter that it...

Not really, I think the main... The value is in the actual model.

-STALLHOLDER:

-It's Danish.

What do you think, Tamara?

I really like it.

That might tell you how long you've been on the phone for.

-A little counter.

-How do you actually...

-GIRLS:

-Ah!

It does work.

That is cool, isn't it?

-What's the best you could do on it?

-I'll go 55.

55... Tamara, do you like it?

-Yeah, I really like it. I do.

-That's good.

The girls are pretty quick off the mark.

But what do you make of it, Charles?

I think it's got a lot going for it.

It's an icon of the age. It's...

-Could someone use it if they wanted to?

-I'm sure they could.

-STALLHOLDER:

-Yes, you could.

-Really?

-You think you could wire that in?

-Yes.

-I would say if you like the phone, buy it.

-I like the phone.

-I do like the phone.

-I can see the phone making £60, £70...

Really?

-STALLHOLDER:

-I'll do 50.

We'd grab it now if it was 45.

-STALLHOLDER:

-I'll go 48.

There we go - and I say buy it.

-Thank you very much.

-We'll do it. Deal.

So, the Blue team are off to a good start with their first purchase.

The Reds have spotted a pair of epergnes.

They're beautiful quality, aren't they?

-Those are very nice.

-I love the face...

You can see them on a table, can't you, or on a sideboard.

Shall we take one down and have a look at it?

Cos they're quite heavy as well.

-Yes...

-They're a good weight.

But they are silver plate, of course.

-You see the chasing on there is very fine, isn't it?

-Yes.

-Do you think we should ask him if that's the best price, do you think, on those?

-I think so, yes.

Excuse me a sec.

Your best price, please.

Er...190.

190...?

-Or a round figure.

-Shall we take them?

-Yes.

-I like them.

Could you do them for 180? A round figure? Am I pushing you too hard?

-That's OK. That's OK, yes.

-180?

-180, yes.

-That's even better.

Cos you did like them. ..I think we'll take those. Thank you very much indeed.

Well done, ladies...

-So, we've got 420 left still, which is quite good.

-Yes.

-Very good.

-We're happy with that, aren't we?

-Very happy with that.

So, one-all.

What's next for the girls?

-Charlie?

-Ladies.

-What do you think about this?

-With the hat in.

-Oh, wow. Is it priced up at all?

No, it's not. And the lady's not here, so...

-Oh, I really like that.

-Isn't that cool?

-I really like that.

-It's from a great age.

This is the finest quality. Look at the box as well.

-The box is lovely.

-I really like it, though.

Look at the old label there, the hotel.

-Yeah, that is lovely. It's so great.

-I really like it.

-Initials as well.

-But there's no price at all on it.

-I know.

-What's it worth?

Well, we had one not sell last week with a reserve of about £200.

-There's no price at all on it.

-No, and the woman's away.

Shall we come back?

We should, but what do YOU think we should.... How much?

-I would say if that went into an auction house, between 150 and 250.

-OK.

-OK.

So, it might be about £300 here. But it's nice.

So, they've got a spot of thinking time whilst waiting for the stallholder.

Er...we've done 30 minutes. We're about halfway through, OK? So bear that in mind.

You tell 'em, Mark!

Well, as they say, the collector's lot is never done.

And I want to show you this little group, which I found yesterday

when I was wandering down Portobello Road.

Each piece is a different bit of fruit and veg,

and each piece has been carved out of solid ivory.

Just look at that bean!

Well, it's a kind of mangetout, isn't it?

Absolutely carved to perfection.

Now, I bought these objects,

and I paid £750 for them.

Am I completely cracked? No!

Why did I pay £750 for these?

Well, they were made in northern India between about 1850 and 1880,

and they came back to this country as a little souvenir.

Secretly, between you, me and the gatepost, I saw a group of these

sell a couple of years ago for more than £3,000.

So I may have splashed out £750,

but I've done it in the sure-fire knowledge

that £750 is actually not a lot of money for this little group.

Anyway, today I'm in Ally Pally, right?

With you, wandering around, I came to a stall

and I saw...

that! What about that?

It's made of solid ivory,

it's in the form of a fruit called a persimmon -

it too was made in northern India,

it too was made between 1850 and 1880,

and it exactly fits inside

the set of northern Indian ivory objects

which I bought yesterday.

Is that a coincidence?

Particularly

when the dealer here in Ally Pally

sold it to me for £30?

Oh! You can't beat this business, can you?

Back now to the shopping...

-I like the little duck...

-I do. I think the price is enough for us.

So I think we'll say they're very nice, thank you very much, and we'll walk on.

The little vesta case is rather unusual.

Yes. That's 98.

So we can think about that one, it might light up a profit...

Is that a weighing scales, then, for a person?

I think it would be. Erm...

-"To weigh 24 stone."

-Harrods, is that?

Harrods scales. ..Hello, madam. We like the Harrods scales.

-It's good, isn't it?

-Fantastic. Tell me about them.

Well, I think being as it is from Harrods

I would think they would probably be used in the fruit department...

-So what are we talking? 1930s?

-Yeah.

-And these are the weights here, aren't they?

-Yeah.

-Oh, wow...

-So they come off, do they, like that...

-Yeah.

-..and they go on like that.

-Yeah.

-That's nice, isn't it?

-Yeah, I like them.

-Isn't it cool?

-Is it saleable?

-Definitely saleable.

I think it's charming, I think it's got that great old look about it -

it hasn't been tarted up,

it's clean, it's honest, it's novel...

and it's all there, look.

-And it's £85?

-Yes.

-It has more potential, I think, then the hatbox.

-Really?

Well, if the hatbox is the right price,

-I would say... ..Your name is, madam, Mrs...?

-Corral.

My guide price would be quite happily between £50 and £80.

-So if Mrs Corral could maybe come down...

-You can have it for 70.

Would you take 60 for it?

Between friends?

-What's your best price?

-It'd be 65.

£65. What do you think?

It could make 50, it could make £100. But this has more chance...

-Could only make £20, though, as well.

-No... I hope not.

-I like it.

-Famous last words(!)

-Oh yeah, Hanson's going down. I hope not.

-GIRLS LAUGH

-We like it very much, madam.

-Shall we have a little walk back?

-Cos we need to know how much...

-Can we take five minutes?

-Certainly.

So, Blues - sounds like you need to...

"weigh up" the pros and cons!

I think we're idling a bit - we need to be more of a purpose here. We need to get in and rummage.

Exactement, Mark. There's no time to relax.

-That light is fun.

-Yes.

-The lantern.

Yes...

300.

They're always quite fashionable for London homes.

I mean, I don't know how old that one is...

"Victorian."

"Gas street lamp."

Gas street lamp. It's beautiful.

People would convert it now for electricity, I suppose.

Cos they would have been up on a post there.

-It's rather fun, though.

-It is, yes.

-It's quite big and bold.

But then by the time you've converted it...

I mean, you've got to be able to put it on a central haul or a central chain.

-I suppose you could drill down here.

-Don't know...

But what do you think?

Personally, I like it.

-Right.

-Do you like it, Jenny?

-Yes.

-Well, it's £300.

-Well...

-I'm sure if we asked very, very nicely...

If we get down on one knee?

-I take it to 250.

-250...

No, that's not enough, certainly. Sorry, that er...

Very nice, but it needs to be much lower than that.

Oh...! Cheeky.

You sure there's nothing else you could do?

-RENEE:

-200.

-225. And that's it.

-Well, it's interesting, isn't it?

-Yes... Yes.

YOU know it's worth it.

Well, I think if I was putting that into sale -

because lanterns are very popular, very interior design,

I mean you could do all sorts of things with it -

I'd certainly be happy to put an estimate of 150 to 200 on it. So it's getting within that area.

Don't forget, you want to build the tension up at auction...

Maybe if you push this very kind dealer, who doesn't really want to

take it home with him, cos it's quite a big piece to put in the car...

If we could push him to 200 I think we might have a deal.

I'm sure he WOULD go to 2, wouldn't he?

-For you. OK.

-Thank you very much indeed.

Bingo!

-Thank you so much.

-Thank you.

Nice negotiating, Jenny.

Two down for the Reds, then.

Meanwhile, the Blue team have just found the stallholder selling the hat...

The very best I could do on it would be 90, I'm afraid.

-£90? For the whole lot?

-Mm.

That's the very, very best you can do?

Do you know...

And I will say it's a good-sized hat.

-I've got a tiny head...

-Oh.

I've got a big head.

-Oh, it fits perfectly!

-Suits you.

Very dapper, Charles.

-It's like you came wearing it.

-Oh, thank you very much.

-It is quite a large size, isn't it?

-Yeah, well...

80...? We'll take it now for 80.

80 then, I'll take. I really can't do any less.

OK. We're sold at that.

Thank you very much.

-Thank you very much.

-It's brilliant!

-That's very good, we'll take it.

-Thank you.

Top that, Blues!

But you're not really making much of a dent in that 600 smackers.

But the Reds are spending money like it's going out of fashion.

I quite like that Stuart Devlin egg. Or it looks like one.

No, that's actually quite collectible.

Stuart Devlin was an Australian

who was a very, very famous designer in the 1970s,

and he created these sort of little Easter eggs, or Christmas eggs,

with various subjects.

This is probably for the 1977 Silver Jubilee.

-Ah.

-You know. So that could be quite interesting.

-How much is the Stuart Devlin egg?

-250.

-250. May we have a look at that?

-Mm.

-Thank you very much...

-That comes off.

-OK.

That comes out of there. So it's got three sections to it,

and this section of course is fully hallmarked here.

But I rather like that actually, I think it's rather fun.

He is quite collectible.

I'm not sure... They do vary, I mean some of them can be

£400, £500, £600.

Because this is a royalist one, I don't think it'll be

quite as commercial as the one with little bunny rabbits

or some other symbolism.

But it is a very well-known design,

-and he is a very well-known and collectible designer.

-Right.

Is it something you would be interested in?

I think so, if the price is right.

Because you've got to leave me a little bit of money

to buy my bonus buy, if you can.

I think the dealer seems very helpful.

Well... I can't negotiate very far.

They go for a lot of money normally, Stuart Devlin eggs,

and that's quite a good price.

-RENEE:

-But the thing is we have not got a lot of money left.

We have only 220 left.

But I WOULD like them to at least leave me a fiver to buy something...

So is there any chance you could do it for 215?

Cos that's the lowest we can go... or the most we could possibly offer you.

220 is the absolute...

-Even if we could do it for 218 - and leave me with the two pound...

-All right.

-Are you sure?

-Yes. This is giving me minimal profit on this, I have to tell you.

Well, let me give you a kiss and that'll be...

that'll be a little bit of consolation.

Lot of snogging on this show!

So, the Reds have all three items,

but only £2 for Mark to spend on the bonus buy.

He's got his work cut out!

Oh, look at that nice mirror there. Look at that.

It's a very, very stylish Art Nouveau hammered mirror.

It would have been more patinated originally.

This is all original, it's all beautifully in relief and embossed.

And it's a very good price.

What's the best price on it?

-I'll go under 70. I'll do 68.

-68. Ah!

Subjectively, I would not mind the scales or the mirror.

What shall we do? What shall we do? There's four minutes to go.

What do you think, Freya?

The stock is on the table... It's waiting.

-I'm literally undecided.

-You were keen on the scales.

-I just think they're quirky - but then I guess they could just completely...flop.

-Yeah.

But then don't forget the name, and the scenario of being in London.

-Let's go and see if we can get them for 60.

-Yeah.

-Can we just hold it for four minutes?

-Four minutes, yes!

-I'll wait here.

-OK...

Where is he...?

It was down here, it was down here!

OK, but where's the owner...?

The owner's not here.

-Is he down there?

-Down where?

Hello, madam. ..Here's the lady.

We have two minutes...

And we've got another item. It's between this and the other item, but only if you'll go with 60, not 65.

Oh God, no! What shall we do...?

Er... Yeah? OK?

Done.

-All right then.

-Thank you very much, you're a good sport.

-It's all right.

-Fantastic.

-Thank you, thank you.

-Are you happy?

-I'm very happy.

-Are you sure?

-I'm positive. Positive... I'm really happy.

Well, you haven't really made the most of the £600, girls...

but all three items are bought - and just in the nick of time.

So, let's remind ourselves what our teams HAVE bought.

A pair of silver epergnes set Renee and Jenny back £180.

A Victorian gas lantern was picked up for £200...

..and a silver-gilt Jubilee egg cost them £218.

£598. Must be one of the highest amounts of money we've spent on the show -

-you've only left me with £2. You naughty girls.

-Sorry about that.

-Is that it, then?

-That's it!

-£2 of leftover lolly.

I have never handed over such a miserable amount.

-It is a miserable amount.

-What are you going to do, Mark?

-He's going to do fantastic.

-He's going to turn it into gold.

-Is he?

-Yeah.

Well, after what YOU'VE been spending your money on,

he might need to. No, seriously, you've had a good time?

Yes, we have. Very, very nice.

They've been fantastic. We've bought three really good items, I feel.

Well, I'm crossing everything for you, including for you and the £2.

Anyway - for the rest of the guys,

let's check out what the Blues have bought, eh?

A gilt brass and copper telephone rang up...£48.

A Victorian leather hatbox and top hat cost them...£80.

And £60 was forked out for this pair of early 20th-century scales.

-Hi, guys. How you doing?

-Good.

-Good, good.

Charles, have you ever been surrounded by such beautiful company?

Tim, I'm a lucky man, it's been a great hour.

-You're engaged at the moment, right?

-Indeed.

-Yes.

-You didn't mention that!

-Oh well, sorry...

All this time.

Now listen, girls, how much did you spend?

Er, not very much. £188.

We gave you 600!

We're Scrooges.

Scrooges?! Couldn't you gee them up any more than that, Charles?

I tried, Tim, but we didn't see those high-value things to really push on with, did we?

-You just didn't bite, yeah?

-No... Yeah.

-Somebody's got a wodge of leftover lolly.

-I have. It's a big wodge.

-Oh, my goodness me...

-£412.

£412?

-Well, Charles, you've never had...

-I've never had...

-..such potential.

But our normal budget of £300 - to have more than 400's incredible, Tim.

And I'm worried. And I'm nervous.

Very good luck. It's a big responsibility, Charles.

For me, I'm going to stick in north London

but I'm going to go slightly "sarf" in north London... if you see what I mean.

The Jewish Museum has recently reopened its doors after an extensive refurbishment.

And the place is absolutely jam-packed

with art and artefacts relating to the Jewish faith.

Including...an old wardrobe.

Now, this is the old wardrobe.

Actually, it's a synagogue ark,

and was the first piece presented to this museum in 1932.

It is of course a lot older than that.

The piece was apparently discovered in a synagogue in Venice,

it then found its way to Britain and was in a house in Yorkshire,

and eventually made it here to the museum.

Now, a synagogue ark is the receptacle

of the most precious of precious objects within the synagogue,

and they are the Torah scrolls.

They'd have been kept inside this cupboard,

and the outside has been decorated appropriately.

Here we've got the Temple Menorah candlestick,

here, a sort of wash-hand basin

which would have been used for ceremonially cleansing your hands.

But if we look at the piece of furniture itself,

it is monumental in proportion.

At the top, there's a cartouche,

and the script there says, "Know who before you stand".

The construction of the ark itself is interesting.

What we've got here is a series of inexpensive softwoods,

which have been turned and carved

to resemble very much more expensive marble.

Here you can see the paint effect that's been used to simulate marble.

This lappeted panel on either side in bright green

is supposed to be jasper.

And just look at the way this mottling

around the curve of the column

realistically does resemble marble itself.

But overall, you have to admit, it is some old wardrobe.

The big question today is of course, what is going on in west London?

Not at the synagogue -

over at the auction!

Well, Mark and Charles have found their bonus buys,

and we're all keen to find out what the auctioneer makes of today's purchases.

So we've come southwest from the Alexandra Palace - not very far, to Chiswick,

-to be at Chiswick Auctions with Tom Keane, our auctioneer. Tom.

-Tim.

-Nice to see you!

-And you.

Now, Renee and Jenny, their first item, double-up money,

is this pair of epergnes -

which are almost too good to be true, aren't they?

Yeah. They're just... like you say, too good to be true.

Something about them doesn't ring to be right.

Well, I know what you mean because

this cast metal is incredibly chunky for Victorian work.

I think they've been re-silvered, don't you? Re-plated.

Could be re-plated. I mean, that's a lot of work, anyway,

that's probably why Renee paid £180 for them.

-Oops.

-£180.

-That's enough.

What do you think they might bring?

-I'm dubious. £60 or £80.

-OK, fair enough.

Next is the polished copper lantern.

Which is nice, isn't it? Takes you back.

No. I don't think it IS nice.

-You don't?

-I don't think it's copper either.

-What do you think it is?

-I think it's COPPERED.

I think it's a base metal that's been coppered.

-Oh, coppered. Gosh. Do you really?

-Yeah. It's a bit too bright.

Well that's very sharp.

Well, that completely torpedoes the price then, doesn't it?

I'm pretty certain I'm right - I think it's 50 or 80 quid's worth.

Right, £200 paid.

Lastly is this egg. The Stuart Devlin egg.

It's a nice piece of silver, beautifully planished...

How do you think it'll do, Tom?

I think it'll do OK. It's nice quality, nicely hallmarked.

Nice size as well. 100 to 150, and could do a little bit better.

OK. £218 is what it needs to make.

-Mmm...

-But overall,

we've got a bit of a potential loss on these fellows

and a bit of a whopper on our COPPERED lantern.

So let's go and have a look at the bonus buy. They're going to need it.

So, you two...

£2, you left him.

-What did you buy, Mark?

-Well, Tim,

I bought this little 19th-century pepper pot.

-Ooh...

-It's a little bit damaged. It's pewter,

-and it cost me the full £2, of course.

-No change?

I tried to get it down to £1, but the dealer wasn't having any of it.

But I thank him very much for letting me have it for 2.

I collect salt and pepper and mustard pots...

Well, I couldn't get a matching salt, I'm afraid, for £2!

But I think it's quite... you know, for £2.

Yes, you couldn't do worse than that.

I wanted something with a bit of character,

and I think it's got enough bulges and bumps on that.

Are you referring to me?

-No, the pepper pot.

-Oh, that's all right then.

-Yes, that's very good.

-Very nice.

We should make something on that, shouldn't we?

Well, you know, fingers crossed it might spice up a profit.

-Yes.

-Now seriously, girls,

you pick later after the sale of your first three items -

but let's find out what the auctioneer thinks about Mark's little pepper.

So, Tom, if you've only got £2 left to find a bonus buy on Bargain Hunt,

that is what you'd go and buy, apparently.

A battered bit of pewter.

A battered bit of pewter, but for £2?

Well, even so, they'll struggle,

but er...I'll put an estimate of £5 or £10 on.

-You are a good man.

-Try and talk people into it.

If you're trying to get a profit, you will get one on that. Perhaps not the others.

No, quite. Wouldn't it be ironic

if the only profit that's made today for the Reds is on the £2 bonus buy?

Anyway. That's it for the Reds. Now for the Blues.

First off is the foreign telephone. Does that grab you?

Not really. Not really. Erm...

It's...a foreign telephone. Not much you can say about it.

It's copper. It's 1920s, '30s... It's decorative, but er...

is it valuable?

£48 has paid for it anyway. Do you think they'll get a profit?

-Funnily enough I do. I've estimated it at £50 to £100.

-There you go.

They paid the right price.

So congratulations to them if they can turn it into a profit. Lovely.

Erm, the hatbox...

Magnificent, bulletproof leather hatbox.

I mean, is that... like a tale of an era gone by -

that you'd take that on the train with you

and somebody would lug it around to keep your top hat in good nick?

Well, I think more of an indoors piece. Decorative piece.

As shabby chic, it's quite nice. And it's got the hat in it too.

-How much, then?

-£60 or £80.

£80 paid. So they're not too bad on that.

So we're getting quite close on those two.

The third item, though,

is this state-of-the-art Harrods set of scales.

-Tom...

-Tim...

-Yes(!)

The best thing about it, it's Harrods.

And I've put a high valuation on it for that name only, at £60 or £80.

Well, here we are in London - I mean,

-the Brompton Road store is a flagship.

-Mm.

It's an icon of this city in many ways,

so with any luck you'll be right, Tom.

They paid £60 - you've put 60 to 80 on. There's a fair chance there.

-Well, we'll try. We'll try.

-Yes. Very good. Well done, Tom.

I fancy they're going to need their bonus buy though...

Now, you cheapskates, you lot...

Freya and Tamara. ..Aren't they lovely?

-You only spent £188.

-Yep.

Which is pretty pathetic when we give you 600.

Anyway - it gave a vast wodger of £412 to Charles Hanson.

So what did you do, Charles, with £412?

Well, Tim, I felt having spent so little, I had to really go for it

with a big blast, make-or-break...

So I bought something very small, but very beautiful.

Look at that. It's a watch.

-Oh, wow.

-OK.

-It's a watch.

But it's a very fine Omega chronometer wristwatch -

1950s, extremely good quality...

It was priced at a retail level of £600, OK? I bought it for 400.

However, we were at a high retail end,

and I've gone and really speculated.

And this could make or break Charles Hanson. OK? And my team.

-If your team go with it.

-If they go with it.

And they, so far, have harboured and garnered their cash,

so that they've not had a lot of exposure here,

-and this is a big exposure.

-Tim, we've gone big.

And if we don't go big we never know.

How much do you think it's worth, how much you think it'll go for?

Well...you never know.

However - I must be plain.

I'm sure the auctioneer might be quite cautious, and guide it at between £200 and £300...?

-Half the price?

-I live in hope. But...we have to speculate.

Very good. Well, girls, straight from the horse's mouth.

Is it something that you like yourself, Freya?

Er...not really, no.

Do you go for men with big watches?

I love watches. Erm...

But this... I don't know, this one seems a bit...boring.

And also it doesn't seem in great condition.

-But I don't know.

-What do you think, Tamara?

I don't know much about watches...

-I wouldn't spend £400 on it. But then...

-No.

Well, it'll be your choice to speculate or not in a moment,

but right now, for the viewers at home,

let's find out what the auctioneer thinks about Charles's wristwatch.

Tom, you sell a lot of these wristwatches, don't you?

We'll sell them every week, and about 30 or 40 watches a week.

-Erm...

-How do you rate that one?

Good name, Omega.

Gold-plated. I mean, all gold watches have a gold back, so...

It's OK. It's £100 or £200's worth.

-£100 to £200?

-Yeah.

-Really?

-Mm.

-Oh dear...

-What did he pay?

£400?

Done his money.

-He's done his money.

-Big time.

And I think time is running out for Charles.

230. 240. 250.

260. 270. 280.

Going, all done...

Now, Renee and "Jenee"...

How are you feeling?

I was feeling more enthusiast when we bought it, than now that we have to sell it.

What, in the cold, grey dawn of the auction, you're feeling doubtful?

-Doubtful. There is not a lot of people.

-No. Positive.

-You are positive?

-Positive, definitely.

The first item coming up though are the epergnes. And here they come.

They're figured with the griffins.

Quite a decent quality lot. £50?

Thank you, I'm bid at £50. Say 55? 55. You want 60?

5. 70. 5. 80.

At £75, bid at £75...

85. 90.

95. 100. 110. 120. 130.

At 120... In or out?

She says no? 120, you've got it.

-It wasn't as bad as we thought.

-So we...

-Minus 60, sweetie.

-Minus 60?

-Minus 60.

Now, next up is the not-so-copper lantern.

A polished coppered four-glass exterior lantern.

£50 for it, please? £50 for it?

Thank you, I'm bid at £50. 55.

60. 5. 70. 5...

80...!

At £70, selling, all done at £70...

At £70 and gone, then...

£130. That's chouette, hein(?)

-Bof!

-Zut alors.

Incroyable.

OK. Now, next up, Mark, is your egg.

The Stuart Devlin silver-gilt surprise egg. £100 for it?

-£50 for it?

-Oh, gosh...

I'm bid at £50. 55?

60. 5. 70. 5.

-80. 5. 90. 5.

-More...

-100.

At £95. At £95. Give me £100 for it?

-It's worth £100 all day long.

-It's terribly cheap, honestly.

At £100, selling, all done... Last chance, and going for £100...

-That is a bargain.

-So disappointing.

-It really is.

Anyway, £100

is minus £118.

-So that's 130, 230, 240, 240...

-Oh, we've done it big time, then.

-£308.

-Good Lord.

-Minus 308, girls.

-Well, I think the fact they've got...

-That is really...

It could have been minus the whole lot. Look on the bright side.

-Well, you spent £598, and you're minus £308.

-Oh, that's good.

I don't think it's our lucky day today.

-Now...

-We are taking the pewter pot.

-You're going with the bonus buy?

-Of course!

We're going with the pepper pot, the decision is made.

A 19th-century pewter pepper pot, Is it worth £10, start me...

£10 for it...

£5 for it...

£2 for it... Thank you, I'm bid at 2, who'll give me 3?

The bid's here at £2, I'll take 3... At £2.

-All done at £2, at £2, and done...

-£2?!

That's a bid at £2 then, all done...

It was £2, it wiped its face.

You are still at minus £308.

I must say, these double-up days are going really rather well(!)

-Fantastic.

-How interesting to see how the Blues get on.

-Don't tell me 'em a thing.

-Of course not.

Not a thing. Zip!

If we can. Where is my hankie?

Yes, don't go crying...

Now, you two economical girls. Do you know how the Reds got on?

-No idea.

-You 'ave been talking to ze French?

-No.

-The Frenchies...

-They looked happy though.

-Did they?

-They did.

-Maybe that was false!

What, you think it's fake happiness? Well, you'll find out in a minute.

Anyway, first up is your telephone, and here it comes.

Copper and brass, 1930s telephone,

and erm...£50?

£30?

£30? £20?

I'm bid at £20. 22. 25. 28.

30. 32. 35. 38. 40.

42...

At £40, take 42... Who else wants it?

You do? 45...

-At £42, take 45... Staying at £42 and going...

-Come on!

£42 and gone, then...

-Oh, no! Freya, that is so bad luck.

-That is so annoying.

£42, you're minus six smackers.

That's nothing! You were so close, baby.

Now - the hatbox.

A Victorian leather-top hatbox. £50?

£30.

I'm bid at £30. 32. 35.

38. 40. 42. 45. 48.

50. 2...

52. 55. 58. 60. 2.

65. 68.

70. 2. 75...

At £72, bid at £72 - staying at £72...

Oh!

£72. You're minus £8.

All this is so close.

On the threshold, aren't we?

-You're on the cusp, mate.

-On the cusp.

It all needs weighing out in the balance...

..and talking of balances - here it comes.

Cast-iron weighing machine - signed Harrods as well, so a good name.

£50 for it?

£30 for it?

Thank you, I'm bid at £30.

Take two now? 32. 35.

38. 40. 42.

£40 and going, all done at £40...

-My word!

-£40 for that, that's minus 20.

-Shall we stick?

You're 28, you're 34, you're minus £34...

-That's nothing, minus £34.

-That's not bad, is it?

I mean, minus £34.

-Charles thinks we should stick.

-Hey?

What was that?

-He never... He's not allowed to express an opinion.

-I'm sorry.

He's the expert!

What are you going to do -

are you going to go with the watch now?

I paid too much. Stick, stick, stick, please!

-We're going to go for it.

-Ssh, ssh, ssh...

Hanson made a boo-boo, OK? Hanson made a boo-boo.

-What shall we do?

-Go for it!

-OK, we'll go for it.

-Oh, no...

-I don't believe it.

-Seriously, final decision now.

-Final decision is...? Quickly?

-We'll stick.

-OK, we'll stick.

-OK, final decision is to stick.

Omega Constellation automatic wristwatch. £100 for it?

£100 for it, somebody, £100 for it?

Thank you, £100. I'll take 110.

110. 120. 130. 140.

150. 160. 170...

-Ooh, hello...

-160, take 170 for it... At 160, selling.

At 160, and going... Are we finished, all done - 160...

Well, you've got to speculate, OK?

We're talking minus 240 here,

and by the skin of your teeth, you girls, you did not go with it, all right...

You preserved your losses at only minus £34.

And you watch out, you two, because minus £34 could be a winning score.

-This is absolutely dreadful, isn't it? Have you been talking?

-ALL: No.

I'm not surprised, really. We have got some whopping losses today.

Whopping! I mean, I don't know when I've seen

such a sea of minus numbers in a pair of scorecards.

-In your bank account(?)

-No... thank you very much!

-Oooh!

-Yes.

-On that happy note...

-ALL LAUGH

..I have to reveal the runners-up today - cos we don't have losers any more on Bargain Hunt -

by a substantial margin...

-are the Reds.

-Yes!

-MARK: It's not surprising, really.

Your losses, girls, total £308.

-Ooh!

-Ooh la la, I would say.

The only mitigating factor was the wiped face

with the pewter pepper pot.

But as you only spent £2 on the pepper pot,

and it failed to make any losses or any profits,

I consider that's a great achievement, Mark.

-But they did spend all their money.

-Yes, all their money.

At their cost, I have to say.

Minus £308, I have to say, is not brilliant, but you were robbed on one or two instances

so I have every sympathy for you. Otherwise, you have been brilliant.

-Well done.

-I hang my head in shame.

-Why?!

-There's no need to walk away like that, Renee!

Walk tall, girl, you've done extraordinarily well.

But the victors today, our lovely Blues,

are winning by only losing...£34.

They are only £34 down the proverbial -

but then they didn't go with their bonus buy, did they? Smart move.

£240 losses on the bonus buy would have torpedoed your chances, girls,

but you hummed and you hawed, and you hummed and you hawed,

and you eventually came down on the side of justice.

But the less said about that, the better. How does it feel to win?

-Surprising.

-Does it?

Well, we're very excited for you.

-Join us soon for some more bargain hunting, yes?

-ALL: Yes!

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